1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an arrangement for illuminating at least one switch surface provided on a transparent panel with a light source, which has a touch sensor switch arranged behind the at least one switch surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
Operator panels of apparatuses, for example baking ovens or cooking units, are formed by transparent panels according to the state of the art, especially of plastic, glass or glass ceramic. Switch surfaces are provided on the panels for manually switching operating functions of the apparatuses. A touch sensor switch is arranged on the rear side of the operator panel facing away from the switching surface for each switching surface. The touch sensor switch has a sensor, which reacts to contact with a finger on the switch surface, for example optically, capacitively or generally by influencing an electric field.
A touch sensor switch arranged on a glass ceramic panel is described in DE 199 07 226 A1. It has a sensor element with a sensor surface and an illuminated indicator. The sensor surface is provided with an outlet corresponding in shape to the lighting means and encompasses the lighting means. Each switching surface and/or each touch sensor switch is provided with its own lighting source. The light source is part of the touch sensor switch. The touch sensor switch is thus expensive.
A touch sensor switch equipped with a sensor element or button is described in EP 0 859 467. The sensor element or button has a flexible body, in which a light-emitting diode is inserted as an illuminating or lighting means. Each touch sensor switch is provided with its own lighting means.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,239,152 a capacitive touch sensor switch is described, behind which a light source illuminating it is arranged. An additional capacitive touch sensor switch is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,222.